An Overview of Anthropological Regional Studies

• Main Authors: Daming Zhou, Xuzhi Zhan, Yu Cao, Liang Chen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SpringerOpen 2019-04-01
• Series: International Journal of Anthropology and Ethnology
• Subjects: Regional studies; Area studies; Ethnography; Anthropology
• Online Access: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41257-019-0018-6

Abstract Regional studies in anthropology are vital to the development of the discipline, for they supply anthropology with an approach that moves from individual cases to a holistic understanding of a region. Western anthropologists’ interests in researching non-western regions started as early as the Age of Discovery, and regional studies in anthropology, in the United States in particular, are well-organized and systematic. In China, regional studies serve to transcend China’s traditional village studies to understand Chinese civilization as a whole. Following this approach, several paradigms, including Skinner’s model, were proposed and regional studies were part of Fei Xiaotong’s entire academic life. Globalization poses both challenges and opportunities to regional studies while bringing new visions to its practice in China.